Ask Me
by Trekkie101
Summary: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Rated T for language use and kissing only.
1. I Didn't Ask For Much

**Ask Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!**

**Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated M for language use only.**

"It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how."

Maura's words, shaky and innocent, had been haunting Jane for three days. She remembered the severe look of regret in her best friend's green eyes, remembered being unable to tear her gaze away as the normally unflappable doctor paced and fidgeted in sadness. Jane had known that Maura was adopted, of course, and recognized that much of her best friend's social awkwardness had to be seated in the childhood she'd spent with the wealthy socialites who had taken her in. She would never have guessed, however, that Maura had been so incredibly alone for so long.

It made sense, though. Maura had asked for nothing since Jane had met her, seemingly content to allow invitations to the Dirty Robber or softball games to come from Jane or Korsak, rather than her own understandable curiosity. Sure, she spent more on ridiculous shoes each month than Jane made in a year, but they were what she provided for herself. Dates had never given her more than the requisite first bouquet of flowers or candy, and even her requests to have Jane join her at yoga or running were saddled in concern for her well being. Yoga was supposed to make her less stressed. Running was supposed to provide her body with anti-bodies or pleasant bacteria or some shit. _Language, Jane!_ Right.

Why had she not realized this before? Jane spent a lot of time observing her best friend, and a lot of time listening to her best friend. She spent quite a bit of time teaching her best friend to play softball and watch sports properly (profanity, included). She spent some of her time wishing that her best friend would fall in love with her, too.

No. Jane shook her head. _You know better than that, Janie. Don't think about Maura like that because you don't have a shot in hell of not losing her for good._ Mentally tearing herself away from unbidden though common thoughts about Maura, Jane returned to musing about her obliviousness towards Maura' newest social struggle. It was dangerous ground to imagine Maura as something more than her best friend. The lanky brunette knew that the beautiful genius doctor was utterly out of her league, and she was almost certain that Maura was straight. She had said, _if _ we liked women, just before they went undercover at the Merch.

Then again, Maura had spent twenty minutes during a case near a church talking about the marked and unmarked versions of pronouns in the history of the English language. Jane had, of course, tuned most of it out, but her slight obsession with Maura's voice had kept her clued in enough to recognize that Maura's "we" might simply have been her vague way of including Jane's sexuality in her statement. After all, Maura seemed to believe that Jane was straight, and Jane had never corrected her. It wouldn't have worked well for Jane to casually mention, _Oh, yeah, I was straight. Until I met you. And then I realized that I hadn't ever been anything that meant as much as you._ No. Way too cheesy and definitely too disastrous. Plus, the golden haired beauty had specifically stated that Jane was not her type. Therefore, even if the very fact that she had a vagina wasn't an issue, Jane would never have a chance with Maura at all.

Except…

And suddenly, the light bulb went on

"It wasn't that they didn't love me," Maura had said, sounding certain that her parents had cared for her deeply. It was simply that she hadn't known how to ask for their attention or affection. "The less I asked for, the less time they had for me." Wasn't that exactly what Jane was doing?

She loved Maura. Loved her with more of her genuine self than she had ever loved anyone else. But she had assumed that Maura wouldn't return her feelings because Maura had never initiated their flirting or tactile behavior between them. It had always been Jane who sought out her best friend when Hoyt had terrorized her, Jane who brought food and coffee to the morgue during slow days, even Jane who had suggested they practice together at the shooting range and batting cages. But what if Maura didn't know how to ask someone else out? At its very simplest, flirting with another person requires a desire to have something with them or from them. It would certainly explain why Maura had dated men exclusively during their friendship; men had given her their numbers, and asked for hers in return. They had smiled first, kissed first, probably even orgasmed first as was the cliché.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not my type." That had thrown Jane for a loop. Sputtering in surprised, she had said whatever first came to mind lest she allow herself to recognize how painful those words had been.

Suddenly frustrated with her circling train of thought, Jane shook her head once more and downed the last of her beer. She had completely missed the third, fourth, and fifth innings of the Sox/Yankee game in front of her, which said something about how deeply Maura's tearful words had affect her. Clambering off of her couch, the tall brunette headed to the kitchen as Jo Friday watched disinterestedly from the corner. "You're being ridiculous, Rizzoli. You don't do this wishy washy shit. You dig Maura, take a chance. So what if she's a chick. So what if she's your best friend and if you screw this up, you will be absolutely heart broken. Get your shit together and make a decision." Leaning on the counter, Jane decided that she might try and take a page out of Maura's book and think it through logically.

Fact #1: She wanted Maura bad.

Fact #2: She wanted to find Maura's parents and smack the shit out of them, and then she wanted to find Maura and kiss her until she forgot about boarding school and Hoyt and being alone.

Fact #3: Maura had been an awfully convincing Merch waitress.

Fact #4: Maura couldn't lie.

Well, there it was, in marker on the door to her fridge. Jane was done pretending that being in love with Maura while just being her friend was okay. She was done wishing that someone else would come along and show the stunning doctor how wonderful she really was. She was definitely done watching Maura's amygdala and lacrimal glands have reactions in front of her without being able to hold more than her hands. She was gonna find a way to tell Maura she loved her, and prove that she would die trying to be good enough.

_Great plan, Rizzoli. Now what?_


	2. But You Aren't Coming?

**Ask Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!**

**Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated M for language use only.**

She'd really only had a week to plan. Between a string of weather-induced murders which had dragged Homicide into several, consecutive triple shifts, and her impromptu decision arriving only a month before Maura's birthday, the brunette detective was working quickly. And when it came to figuring out what in heaven's name Maura would ever want for her birthday, working quickly was not the best case scenario.

Fortunately, work was the easy part. Jane called in a couple of favors and ensured that Maura and she both had Friday through Monday off and that, barring a city-wide emergency, neither were on call. Jane decided that Maura could spend Friday being pampered at a local spa, and then her actual birthday, Saturday, would be the big to-do.

Jane figured she was pretty close to genius level with most of her plan. First, she'd let Maura believe that the day pass for the spa was Jane's gift to her. Once she expected nothing else, Jane could really begin to prove how far she'd go to make the blonde doctor happy. And what she decided for Monday, well, that was going to have to wait until the weekend in case anything ended badly.

And it all could end pretty badly.

Jane was going out on a limb in even considering that Maura might return her feelings, and if she did not? Jane didn't want to think about that.

The elevator bell shook Jane from her thoughts and she stepped out into Maura's stainless steel domain with only minor trepidation. She gingerly carried a medium sized box wrapped childishly in brown paper, on which Jane had drawn ridiculous, stick figure cartoon scenes of their friendship, written quotes from their favorite movies, and, in large letters, blocked out "Happy Birthday Maura!" Inside, she had sealed a box of tuna and crackers, the day pass for the spa, and a chocolate lollipop in the shape of a high heeled shoe. All-in-all, Jane was pretty proud of her gift.

Part one, anyway.

When Jane stepped into the autopsy room and found it empty, she panicked slightly. It was only four o'clock and Maura hadn't told her she was leaving early at all. She should have been cleaning meticulously, as she did at the end of every day. Jane sniffed. Definitely lemon disinfectant. So, Maura had been through recently.

And then Jane heard the printer in Maura's office begin to chug rhythmically and grinned. Her love was shoe shopping. One sheet. Normal. Two sheets. A good purchase. Three sheets. Youch, that was going to be a large box. Four sheets. Uh oh. Something was wrong. Maura only bought that many shoes at once when she was particularly upset.

Steeling herself, Jane knocked lightly on the door jam to Maura's office. The blonde shut her laptop quickly, spinning around.

"Oh Jane, it's you!" Maura relaxed when she realized that no one had caught her shoe shopping during work, but Jane could tell that the beautiful doctor was still upset.

"Hi," she stated simply, settling against the door jam with the box held behind her. "What's up?"

Maura tilted her head to one side in confusion, but quickly remembered that "what's up" was an idiom that Jane used frequently when requesting information about her day or current emotional status.

"Nothing much," the shorter woman replied, testing out a response she'd often heard Jane and Barry utilize. "I have completed all but one of my waiting autopsies and filled out all of the necessary paperwork. My afternoon has been…uneventful." Jane grinned, but sobered because Maura's mirroring smile had not stretched up to her eyes as it usually did.

"You want to tell me what's wrong, then?" the tall brunette asked gently. Maura looked down at her hands which were twisting in her lap.

"No," she finally responded quietly. "No, I do not really wish to talk about it currently." If Maura had been anyone else, Jane would have been angry about the blunt response, and she would have pushed for them to open up regardless. But when Maura finally met her gaze again, Jane realized that Maura was simply telling the truth. She was obviously upset, and clearly knew that Jane was quite aware of it, but hadn't processed whatever it was enough to have a conversation about it. For a moment, Jane let their gazes remain tethered, letting Maura know that she was going to drop the subject but was far from leaving it in the past. When Maura finally nodded in acceptance and dropped her line of sight once again, Jane finally brought the box out in front of her.

"Well, I'm pretty sure this will cheer you up!" she teased. Maura's reaction was priceless. She spotted the box and her gaze snapped up to Jane's, her face spreading into a blinding smile as she clapped her hands together like a young child.

Adorable. How could anyone be that adorable?

Jane placed the box on top of Maura's closed laptop and squeezed her best friend into a one-armed hug. "Happy Birthday, Maura."

"Oh, Jane, this is so beautiful!" Maura gently traced the marker designs and pictures with her fingers, laughing at an image of stick figure Jane tackling a stick figure Gabriel Dean while stick figure Maura covered her eyes in embarrassment.

"Yeah, well, the best part's inside," the detective brushed off, blushing lightly. "Open it already." Maura laughed.

"Don't you think it's my present to enjoy?"

"Okay, yes. You can spend an hour taking the wrapping off with a scalpel if you like." Jane pretended to be grudging about it, but her smile gave it away as teasing. Still, Maura played along.

"That's a great idea, Jane!" The shorter woman jumped up from her desk and brushed past Jane into her morgue where she retrieved a scalpel from a drawer. Jane rolled her eyes and hoisted herself up to sit on Maura's desk. If they were going to be here for a while, she might as well get comfortable.

Maura sliced carefully through each piece of tape on the wrapping, and meticulously folded the large piece of paper along the creases it already possessed, laying it aside to be preserved at a later time. Finally, Jane held her breath for the moment of truth as Maura lifted the box cover.

"You brought me lunch!" Maura's laughed openly, lifting the tuna and crackers out first.

"And desert," Jane supplied as Maura returned to the contents of the box and spotted the lollipop. The giggle it produced was worth the embarrassment Jane had felt that morning even purchasing the carved, magenta slab of white-chocolate-on-a-stick, and Jane swore that she would do everything in her power to get Maura to giggle more often if given half the chance.

And then Maura was sliding the day pass and schedule of events out of the spa's faded teal envelope, her brilliant eyes scanning the page and absorbing its contents immediately. "Oh, Jane, the Mandarin Oriental is supposed to be wonderful! How did you know?"

"I do occasionally listen to you when you speak, Maur," Jane teased lightly. "I know you read about them in one of those fancy magazines you get every month, and I thought you could enjoy a day of pampering." Jane frowned. Maura was looking in the envelope again as if something was missing. "It's, um… it's all paid for. And the chick said everything was set up for the whole day. You don't have to choose anything or whatev—"

"Where is the second pass?" Maura's gaze was confused and worried, her forehead knit an her hazel eyes glinting. Jane paused.

"The chick told me that was all you needed. Did they forget to give you a wristband or something? 'Cause I can go back and get it before tomorrow." Jane hopped off of Maura's desk to look at the pass for herself.

"No, I mean, aren't you coming with me? There should be a second pass if you are supposed to be there. I don't understand why—"

"Oh, Maura." This time, it was Jane's turn to interrupt her friend, chuckling lightly in relief. "No, there isn't a second pass. This is for you." Thinking that her words would return the easy smile to her friend's face, Jane hopped back onto the desk.

"What?" The smile had distinctly not returned. Instead Maura looked… hurt?

"I got you a whole package deal. All the stuff I think I remember you talking about like the dirt bath, and a massage, and they even give pedicures for like two whole hours. It was nuts."

"But you aren't coming?" Finally, Jane realized that her best friend was legitimately upset. Getting up off the desk, Jane squatted next to Maura' desk chair.

"No, hun, I'm not. This is for you. I thought you would be excited. I thought you'd like a place like this." Maura tried to smile weakly, but it failed.

"I do. I'm sorry Jane, I just thought…" She tried to replace the pass in its envelope and cover her face with a hand, but Jane had taken a hold of her fingers and refused to let her.

"Hey, whoa, you don't have to cry. I'm sorry you don't like it. I'll take it back and get you something else. I'm sorry, I—" Jane was becoming more and more confused as Maura started to shake her head fiercely.

"No, Jane, I love your gift. I love it. It's the most thoughtful gift anyone could have given me, I just…" When her voice trailed off again, Jane decided to stay quiet, hoping it would give the genius in front of her more time to gather her thoughts. After a few moments, Maura took a deep breath and, refusing to look Jane in the eye, blurted out, "It's my birthday. I just thought you'd want to spend it together."

Jane almost fell over as the breath left her. That voice had returned—the shaky, unsure voice that accompanied a half-hearted smile and a tiny shrug as Maura's eyes glistened. Jane couldn't handle that voice. It made her want to do awful things like kissing her best friend. Holding her best friend tightly and not letting go. Letting her best friend buy her high heels and a cocktail dress just to make her smile. Well, that might be going a tad far. No. Not too far. Jane couldn't say no to Maura on a good day, and there was no way that the brunette wouldn't cross half of the universe when Maura's voice got like this.

"Oh, Maura." Jane shifted positions next to Maura's desk chair, kneeling slowly as her protesting knees cracked loudly. Screw surprises, Jane needed to fix this. "Maura, I do want to spend your birthday together. I was going to surprise you. Please stop crying. You know I hate it when you're crying." Maura swiped at her face angrily, frustrated at her own inability to control her emotions.

"I'm sorry, I—"

"I know, your amidala and lackermal glands. It's fine." Jane mispronounced the medical terms purposefully, eliciting the intended small grin and accompanying sniffle. "Maura, I swear, we are going to spend your whole birthday together, okay? I've got a whole plan, 'kay?"

"But, Jane, this is too much. We could just watch a movie and get take out. That would be okay." Maura fingered the envelope carefully, her face more relaxed though her eyes were still rimmed with red.

"It was going to be a surprise, that's why I wanted you to have a day to yourself. Just you and the Egyptian towels and the weird cucumber water they always have at these places." Jane squeezed Maura's hands in encouragement one last time before hoisting herself off of the floor and stretching her long legs. Maura cracked another smile at Jane's description of the five star spa facilities.

"I'm sorry I spoiled your surprise, Jane," Maura finally stated, looking up at her tall companion. "This is a wonderful gift. I don't know how to thank you."

Jane grinned and mentally wrestled down the evil, _I can think of a couple of ways_.

"You don't have to." Confident that Maura was back on her feet, figuratively, Jane turned to leave the office. As she neared the door, she turned back to Maura who was tracing the lettering on the wrapping paper from her gift. "I'll be over at eight, tonight. I know you DVRed the baseball documentary."

Maura grinned.


	3. You'll Find Your Balance

**Ask Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!**

**Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated M for language use only.**

It was only six a.m. and Maura Isles was perplexed. Just a few years ago, confusion was rare for the brilliant blonde. The presence of Jane Rizzoli in her life, however, had increased the likelihood of this exact situation exponentially. She was entirely perplexed.

Which is why, when Jane made her way into the M.E.'s home and up the stairs, she found Maura standing in her underwear, staring into her walk-in closet, looking completely confused.

After picking her jaw off of the floor, Jane collected herself and finished entering the bedroom, shaking Maura from her reverie.

"Oh, Jane! I'm sorry I am not ready!" Maura seemed oblivious to her state of undress, and Jane wasn't about to point it out.

"It's cool, Maur. I kind of figured this would happen." Jane had instructed her best friend to dress warm and wear jeans as she hugged her goodbye the evening prior. After her day at the spa, a pedicured, manicured, and massaged Maura had not realized how impossible it would be to carry out Jane's instructions until she had finished showering this morning.

"Are you sure a skirt would not work? I purchased a thick knit wool—" Maura's voice paused when she turned to face Jane and found the tall brunette holding a white New York & Co. box. "What's that?"

"This would be a pairs of jeans," Jane responded dryly. "A skirt will not work, hun. Trust me on this one."

"I always trust you," came the automatic response. Jane grinned.

Once Maura had tried on the new pair of jeans and declared them an excellent fit, making Jane blush, it took only a few minutes for her to pair a camisole, a grey blouse of a thin knit material, and white cashmere sweater with them. Jane hadn't mentioned anything about shoes, so she chose a new pair of leather boots which snuggled warmly around her calves and boosted her legs with a three inch heel. Jane grinned again when she saw them.

"Those are perfect," the tall detective commented. Maura preened at the compliment and the women headed downstairs. She grabbed a grey, wool coat, but Jane stopped her before she could put it on.

"Don't wear it. We're gonna be in the car for a while. Just bring it with you and chuck it in the backseat for later." Maura looked skeptically out of the living room window to where it was snowing gently. "Yes, I know it's November. I know it's snowing. C'mon. We'll run." Maura couldn't resist Jane's grin.

"Okay!"

So they ran. Jane fumbled with the car keys and cursed loudly, sending Maura into a fit of laughter as she tried to choke out, "language, Jane!" By the time they launched themselves into the SUV, both had snowflakes powdering their hair and were doubled over in laughter. When their giggles died down, Jane reached across the center console to brush the remaining snow from Maura's silk hair. For a moment, the air in the car seemed to still as their eyes met.

Jane recovered herself first, refusing to allow the bright hazel eyes to distract her from her mission. This was Maura's birthday surprise, so now was not the time for her to start spewing secrets everywhere.

"You ready?" the brunette asked gently, starting the car and buckling her seatbelt. Maura nodded, not fully trusting her voice.

. . . =/\= …

"Maura? Hun?" Jane gently shook her best friend's arm, waking her from her slumber. "Maur, we're here."

For the first hour of their journey, the two women had talked, falling into easy conversation as they had since the beginning of their unlikely friendship. Maura had slyly attempted, several times, to get Jane to give away their destination, but the Italian cop knew better and maintained that it was a secret. As the conversation had fallen into a lull, Jane had reached down to the SUV's radio and started a mix CD she'd burned for Maura on days they rode together between scenes. Soft jazz began to trip out of the speakers and, as Jane suspected, Maura slowly began to fall asleep.

The ME looked peaceful as she slept, even as the rough highways made her hair tremble an her head rock against the headrest, and Jane was almost loathe to wake her. But they hadn't traveled four hours to sit in the car, so awake the blonde needed to be.

"Oh, Jane, my apologies." Maura stretched gracefully and rubbed gently at her eyes. "I did not intend to fall asleep on you." The many connotations of the sentence flashed through Jane's mind, but she stamped them down.

"Don't worry. You only drooled for the first half hour." Maura looked horrified and immediately glanced down towards her shirts. Jane's laughter finally woke her fully, however, and she realized the brunette had been teasing her.

"Jane! I haven't even had coffee yet! Be kind," she whined, shoving her friend in mock anger. Jane laughed again, and pointed out the passenger window.

When Maura turned to look out at her surprise, the entire trip instantly became worth it for Jane. The shorter woman gasped and her hands flew up to her mouth. Whirling around in her seat, Maura's wide, glistening eyes spoke volumes to a suddenly bashful Jane.

"Rockefeller Center! And the tree—oh, Jane…"

"I know you said that you usually go to Europe for Christmas, which is totally cooler than Manhattan, but I thought maybe we could go ice skating."

And then Maura was in her arms. Jane wasn't sure how or when the lithe woman had launched herself across the center console and twisted herself into her arms, but suddenly she was there. Relishing the feel of her friend's embrace, Jane wrapped her long arms around Maura as well as she could in the confines of the car.

"Thank you! Jane, this is the best birthday I have ever had." Jane smiled ruefully as their hug ended.

"Let's save the final judgment until tonight, 'kay?" The tall detective wiped a lone tear from Maura's cheek. "For now, let's just go get skates." Maura nodded emphatically.

As they approached the line waiting to get into the arena, skates in hand, Maura grew nervous.

"Jane," she began, but the brunette was sitting on the ground, trading her boots for skates. "Jane, I'm not sure—"

"Maura," Jane said quietly, pausing with one skate and one boot on to catch her best friend's hands in her own. When the blonde was looking down at Jane, she smiled reassuringly and continued. "Maura, you're going to be fine. I'll teach you. Trust me."

Yet again, those two words immediately eased Maura's fears. This was Jane, her best friend, and Jane could do anything.

"C'mon, Maur," Jane encouraged. "Try on the skates before we get to the front of the line." Maura looked around.

"Where do I sit?" Jane arched an eyebrow at Maura from her place on the floor.

"Um, down here?" Maura looked horrified.

"Jane! Thousands of people have walked through this place, with minimal sanitation. I am not going to ruin a new pair of jeans!" Jane couldn't help it, she laughed out loud.

"Maura," she choked out, "they're jeans. I bought them for a reason. Just get down here." Maura did not look convinced. It wasn't until the line moved significantly towards the ice that she realized she didn't really have a choice. Gingerly settling on the floor, Maura began to remove her heeled boots and pull on the chunky, white skates Jane had rented for them. The detective took her boots and jogged them to a set of lockers, her gate decidedly off from her usual distinctive swagger due to the blades of the skates. When she returned, she reached a hand down to Maura, who grasped it with some fear.

"It's okay, Maura, you'll find your balance." The blonde took a deep breath and hoisted herself off the floor.

For a moment, she simply stood, allowing her center of gravity to settle and her ankles to adjust to the abnormal right angle enforced by the skates. Jane didn't let go of her hands, knowing she needed the reassurance until she felt ready to move on her own.

"You good, hun?" the brunette questioned as the line moved forward, bringing them almost to the entrance to the ice. Maura took a few tentative steps and grinned in success.

"Yes, I am currently well, Jane. The ice, I'm sure, will be a whole other story." Jane grinned in response.

"Are you ready, ladies?" The bulky security guard was gesturing them through the open section of the wall as a family of four climbed off the ice. Maura took a deep breath and nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

Jane stepped out onto the ice first and skated in a small circle before returning to the entrance where Maura was gripping the railing. She gave Maura her hands, which were immediately gripped in the shorter woman's left glove, and held steady as she stepped onto the ice. The first steps were shaky as the M.E. got used to the ice, and the blonde continued to grip the rink wall, but Jane quickly began to show her how to push off with each skate, allowing the blades to carry her smoothly across the ice. After a while, the brunette took Maura's hand off the rink wall and held both of them in her own hands, skating backwards as she encouraged her best friend to become more confident.

"Maura, hun, you're doing great," Jane commented, noticing that the newbie's gaze had not left the ice since she began skating. "I can't believe you've never done this before." Jane's words had the desired effect and Maura looked up grinning.

"Thank you, Jane. You are an excellent teacher." For a moment, their gazes held, eyes glittering in the bright, afternoon sun. They would have continued staring at one another, lost in a moment all too familiar for both of them, but a rogue, young child skated too closely behind Jane, returning her attention to their surroundings. This time, however, Jane could not stop the sappy, excited grin from crawling across her face. Something was changing between them, and it was about time she let it happen instead of running scared.

"C'mon, Maur, you got this. Let's get faster." Jane returned to the blonde's side, Maura's tiny, gloved hand securely in her larger, mittened one. Maura chuckled and sighed dramatically as they increased their pace, gliding fluidly around the rink.

"I believe that I am becoming accustomed to ice skating," Maura commented primly with a wide smile, "although an attempt at any motion other than forward would likely dimish my confidence."

"You want to try?" Jane challenged teasingly.

"No!"

"You sure?" the brunette poked mischievously.

"No! Jane!" It was too late. Jane had pulled them to a stop near one end of the rink, then skated to face Maura. Before the blonde could protest again, Jane rested her hands lightly on her waist, her hold firm even through the thick wool of her long coat, then lightly pushed backwards.

"It's the same motion, but in reverse," the taller woman explained gently, and for a few seconds, they skated slowly backwards, staring down at their feet. At the end of the rink, Jane gently pivoted them and resumed skating Maura backwards. As Maura grew used to the motions, she looked up, meeting Jane's gaze.

Their faces were only inches apart. Jane's rich hair was tousled, caught in her scarf and moving gently around her face in the breeze. Her brown eyes were brighter than Maura had ever seen them, almost the color of freshly brewed Earl Grey, and they were filled with happiness. She couldn't help herself. Jane reached mittened hands down and cupped Maura's face, leaning in to pull the shorter woman's lips to hers.

The kiss was short and as awkward as most first kisses are. Their noses bumped and both women were shocked that the kiss they had imagined for so long was actually happening. Butterflies filled Maura's insides even as her rational brain extinguished the metaphor as ridiculous, and Jane suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

As Maura's lips left hers, Jane found herself looking down into an image she would carry with her for the rest of her life. Maura's cheeks were pink from the chill, and her blue knit hat brightened the color of her hazel eyes to a gentle green. Her honey-colored hair glinted in the sunlight, and the blonde's trembling lips were curling into a smile.

"I just kissed you." Maura's look turned questioning, but she nodded in response. "You just kissed me," Jane reiterated, beginning to chuckle. "We just kissed."

And then Jane couldn't hold it in any longer. She started laughing fully, unused to the feeling of joy which was pouring out of her, and released Maura's waist to skate in circles in front of her. The shorter woman watched happily as her best friend skated gracefully , laughing wildly, her long limbs swinging around her rather uncontrollably for such a normally reserved woman. When Jane skated back towards her, not slowing her celebratory speed in the slightest, Maura became worried that her current skating stability would be compromised, but she needn't have been concerned. Jane grabbed her around the waist again and spun them in a circle, still laughing, and Maura couldn't help but join in.

"Oh, Maura." Jane's voice was low and raspy as she slowed their movements. The shorter woman looked up in response and found tears pricking her eyes as Jane's mittens brushed over her cheeks to cradle her face an the back of her head. "Maura."

Their second kiss was significantly better than the first. Jane's lips moved over Maura's firmly, her tongue brushing through the blonde's lips firmly to discover the mouth which had been haunting her dreams for so long. Maura tasted like mint and frappuccino, and something indecipherable which Jane was almost immediately addicted to.

It was only the sound of children skating around them which kept their second kiss short, as Jane's mind registered that they were in a public arena. She slowly ended the kiss, not wanting to leave Maura's lips but knowing that they needed to keep things appropriate for the sake of families around them, and finally left several breathy kisses on the blonde's swollen lips, one hand still holding the base of Maura's head while the other had found purchase on her lower back. Maura trembled as Jane's final, almost chaste, kisses ghosted across her lips, and she let out a whispered, "Jane."

For a few moments, the women maintained their closeness, as Maura gripped Jane's biceps in her hands, their foreheads pressed together. Then Jane, knowing that there was no point to them take up ice space when all she wanted to do was kiss Maura again, pulled back to take Maura's hands in her own.

"What do you say we go grab some hot chocolate and find some place to chill for a while?" Maura, not trusting her voice just yet, nodded. "Kay." Jane brushed her lips across the space between Maura's eyes, just under the brim of her winter hat, and led them both from the ice. As they past, the security guard winked knowingly at Jane.

"Have a good day, ladies."

"Thanks," Maura responded, finding her voice as the infamous Isles grin plastered itself across her face. "We will."

**TBC… There will most likely be either two or three more chapters to this story. Tonight, Jane will take her girl out to dinner and we will see Maura get surprised yet again, although she might not be so happy about it this time. Also, stay tuned as Maura asks for something she's never asked anyone for in her whole life.**

**Thank you all for the reviews and story alerts/story favorites. Your appreciation means everything to me as a fellow Rizzles fan and as a writer!**


	4. Have I Ruined Everything?

**Ask Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!**

**Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated T for language use only.**

"I don't want to stop kissing you," Jane commented, pressing her lips to Maura's cheekbone, then taking a sip of her cocoa. The pair was settled into a bench at the lower end of Central Park, just a few feet from the Central Park Zoo. They had strolled slowly up Fifth Avenue, Jane's arm wrapped around Maura's waist, and stopped at each of the decorated Christmas windows. Jane had said that it was an integral part of the Christmas season in New York, and Maura was only too excited to peek inside of the most famous Saks Fifth Avenue store in the nation.

Now, however, they had grabbed a couple of hot dogs from a street vendor—Jane had insisted and Maura had immediately fallen in love with them—and were cuddling closely on a recycled plastic bench. Maura turned her face into Jane's Boston Police Department jacket, inhaling deeply as her free hand found Jane's. The tall detective moved her arm from its place between them and wrapped it around Maura's shoulders, dropping yet another kiss to the crown of the knit blue hat.

"You doing okay?" Jane asked, knowing that the city, and perhaps the unexpected kissing, might be putting a strain on Maura's immersion therapy. The blonde head moved against Jane's chest, nodding, but she didn't release her tight grip on the brunette's hand. "'Kay."

Jane was okay with just sitting for a while, watching as Manhattan moved around them. Their reservations weren't until seven, anyway, and it was only just four o'clock now. After a few moments, Maura lifted her head from its resting place in Jane's chest, and craned her neck up to press a deep kiss on her best friend's lips. Jane responded willingly, releasing Maura's hand to cradle her head. When they pulled away, Jane's grin was wide and huge with unchecked smugness. Maura giggled.

"Sorry." The brunette squeezed Maura into her side more tightly. "I just never imagined I'd get to kiss you before I even took you out to dinner."

"We're going out?" Maura sat up, looking excited. "Where?"

"That is a surprise," Jane replied, running her fingers through the blonde curls tumbling from under the blue hat. Maura's shoulders slumped slightly, maintaining her constant poise but involuntarily expressing her disappointment.

"Is everything a surprise? How will I know if I am appropriately dressed?" The M.E. looked imploringly at Jane, and the detective couldn't take it.

"I'm never going to be able to deny you anything, am I?" Maura grinned sweetly. "Okay, I will tell you. But, first, we have to talk about the rest of your birthday."

"The _rest_ of my birthday?" Maura arched a delicate eyebrow at Jane who nodded, suddenly fidgety.

"Mmmhm. When I got you the day off on Friday, I also got us the day off on Monday. We're not even on call."

"Jane," Maura said slowly, touching her friend on the arm and halting her nervous movements, "that's wonderful. But we've already done so much for my birthday. I can't ask you for more than this."

Jane looked up at Maura's words as the blonde unintentionally referenced their quiet conversation in the precinct weeks before.

"I know Maura, that's the issue." Jane sat up straighter and took Maura's hands in her own.

"I don't understand."

"Do you remember the day you went to see Hoyt in prison?" Jane hated the shadow that passed over Maura's face, and the pained look which flooded her eyes, but she didn't know how else to bring up the subject.

"Of course."

"He told you that you were…" Jane couldn't finish the sentence.

"Like him," Maura continued, quietly.

"Yes. And you're not." Jane hurried to say what she needed to say. "You're so not. I mean, God, look at today. You feel and you care and I've never been kissed by anyone the way I've been kissed by you." This brought a slight smile to the blonde's face "But I really hate that he got under your skin and he brought up all this shit from your childhood and got you to doubt yourself like this."

Maura shrugged and tried to turn away from the taller detective, but Jane refused to let go of her hands.

"I hate it because this isn't like you, Maur. You're the woman who keeps her chin up no matter what nicknames the pencil pushers at the precinct come up with, and you wear insane heels to crime scenes because you know you look beautiful, and you don't take shit from anyone. Ever." Maura looked bashful and started to shake her head, but Jane pressed on. "I'm serious! Ma wishes you were her kid instead of me, and you're helping Frost stop hurling chunks over dead bodies, and then there's this thing that makes you feel like you're somehow less than the rest of the world and that's ludicrous!"

Jane paused here, unsure of how to continue, and a bright-eyed Maura pulled one of her hands away to tuck a silky strand of deep brown hair behind her best friend's ear. Jane cracked a small smile, then leaned in to kiss Maura.

"I don't fully understand what this has to do with Monday," Maura commented as they separated, returning her hands to Jane's warm grasp.

"Right. Sorry." Jane looked bashful. "Got distracted." Maura grinned and Jane couldn't help but press a kiss to her pink cheek. "Monday." Jane paused to pull a folded piece of paper from her back pocket which she unfolded and handed to Maura. "This is the rest of your present." The blonde's eyes absorbed the words quickly.

"Why are they blank?" Jane laughed. She pulled the paper down to rest between them, displaying two homemade coupons. One read, "Happy Birthday, Maura! Hope you like _!" The other was similar: "Happy Birthday, Maura! I can't wait until tomorrow when we _!"

"They're blank because I want you to tell me what you want for your birthday, and what you want to do on Monday."

"Why?" Maura looked shocked and Jane felt her heart sink a little.

"Because I realized that you were right. You've never asked for a single thing your whole life." The blonde had pulled her hands away and now she stood, folding and unfolding the coupons as she faced away from her best friend. Jane started to speak, but realized that she had nothing more to say.

"That's not true, Jane, I—." Maura's muttered voice died out. "What I mean to say is, I'm not—." Another silence. Jane stood up slowly and carefully placed her hands on Maura's biceps from behind.

"Maura, please, I'm not doing this to make you upset, I swear. I'm sorry if I ruined your birthday. I just… I want you to have everything. I want to do this right. And I want you to not let him get under your skin any more." They stood quietly for a minute or so, the constant hum of Manhattan and the gentle rustle of Jane's mittens as they rubbed up and down the sleeves of Maura's coat blending seamlessly.

"I don't know what to ask for. How to ask for it," Maura finally admitted, her small voice almost lost in the November wind. Moving quickly around her best friend, Jane cupped Maura's cheeks in her hands.

"I know, babe." The term of endearment slipped out with Jane noticing. "I know. But I want you to ask for things. I want you to tell me that you want us to take the weekend to go parasailing, or you want me to stand on my desk at P.D. and tell the whole squad room I love you, or you want me to go out and buy you every Jennifer Aniston movie ever created, or whatever."

Maura looked shell shocked and Jane could no longer stand to see her so dejected. Desperate to return the blonde to her earlier happiness, Jane pulled Maura's lips up to meet hers. The shorter woman responded immediately, fisting her hands into Jane's B.P.D. jacket and opening her lips to a questing tongue. They kissed as long as they could before separating, gasping for breath. Maura retained her grasp on Jane's jacket, the coupons crushed between them, and Jane obliged her sudden need for contact by wrapping long arms around a slim waist and shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Maur. I never meant to ruin everything. I just hate seeing you sad, okay? I'm not good with words, you know that. I figured I could just show you… but I screwed up." Against her chest, Maura's head shook back and forth. "Okay, I'll shut up now." Another shake. "I shouldn't shut up?" One more shake. "Okay, I'm confused." Maura's body trembled and Jane immediately thought she had made her friend cry, but when she pulled back, she realized that Maura was chuckling. "And now I am totally lost."

"I'm sorry. You're just…" Maura grew serious. "You're really, incredibly sweet, Jane." Jane frowned.

"I don't like that word, or that tone of voice. I'm sorry I messed up your birthday. Can we just forget about it?" Maura shook her head.

"No, I don't want to." The blonde looked down at the wrinkled coupons in her gloved hands and smoothed them out carefully. "This is the sweetest gift I have ever been given." She looked up into worried brown eyes. "I'm not exactly comfortable with this, Jane. Actually, I'm rather embarrassed because I don't like to think that anyone has seen me in a place where this is necessary. But you're Jane, and you've been the exception to the rule for a long time."

"It's okay that you're not a hundred percent down for this, Maur," Jane replied, trying not to sound as choked up as she was. "I wouldn't be comfortable either. But I lo—I really care about you. And I want you to be confident with me. If you want something, I want you to ask for it."

"I don't know what to ask for," Maura shrugged, looking up at Jane with a resigned look on her face. Jane reached for the coupons, refolded them, then reached around Maura and slipped them into the back pocket of her new jeans.

"You don't have to decide now." Jane kissed the side of Maura's head, just under the brim of her hat, and wrapped her arm around strong shoulders, steering them back downtown. "Here's the plan. Tonight, we're going to dinner, then home. Tomorrow, at lunchtime, I'm going to bring over those bagels you love from the organic place on Mass. Ave., and we are going to watch the Red Sox game on your couch. If you're not completely pissed at me, we'll makeout during commercials. And then we're going to go to gnocchi night, and if you'll let me, I'll hold your hand on the way in and finally tell Frankie to stop ogling my girlfriend." Maura chuckled, but squeezed Jane's waist tightly.

"And then?"

"And then you will tell me what you want for your birthday." The women were silent for a couple of blocks until they reached Jane's car.

"Okay. I accept your challenge." The detective grinned slightly.

"Have I completely ruined your birthday?" Maura shook her head, then stretched up to kiss Jane gently.

"No, Jane. You're given me more than anyone has every given me. And these," she pulled out the coupons once more, "these I will treasure. Even though they terrify me."

"Doctor Isles, scared? Never." Jane's voice was light, but the look in her eyes belied her seriousness. Maura grinned.

"Only of being terribly underdressed for dinner tonight." Jane guffawed, her head dropping backwards as she shook with happiness. "Jane, I'm serious!"

"I know! That's the funniest part," Jane replied, making Maura glare at her through a smile. "Don't worry, we've got an hour and I've got a box in the trunk. We'll use the bathroom at the video game store."

"What?" Maura looked concerned. "What are we doing in a public bathroom?" Jane almost pointed out how dirty that sounded, but bit it back at the last second.

"Well, you want to get dressed up, don't you?" Jane reached behind the SUV's rear seats and retrieved a Saks Fifth Avenue box, then started towards the video game store on the corner.

"What? Wait, Jane!" Maura's heels clicked vehemently as she hurried after her best friend.

"C'mon. I know you're going to need a half hour to reapply all of the make-up you think you need." Jane steered the blonde through the store with a gentle hand on her lower back, then locked them in the one stall bathroom. It was surprisingly clean for NYC, smelling faintly of dampness and ammonia, and Maura relaxed slightly.

"My parents used to bring us to this store to use the bathroom when we came to New York at Christmas, only we had to buy something because it's a bit obvious when you drag three kids into a store just to use the bathroom. That was Frankie's favorite part." Jane had opened the baby changing table and placed the box on the shelf it created. "And, voila!"

Maura figured she should simply stop being surprised by Jane. The brunette seemed intent on spending the entire weekend spoiling her. But when the brunette pulled a royal purple cocktail dress out of the box, Maura had to admit to a moment of breathlessness.

"How?" The blonde found herself lacking any articulation ability as she reached involuntarily towards the silk creation in Jane's hands.

"It wasn't difficult," Jane responded as Maura ran her hands over the dress's pleats and stitches. "The overly kind people at Saks had your measurements on file. Personally, I was a little creeped out by that, but I let it slide for now."

"I shop there frequently," Maura responded, "but I haven't seen this!" Maura began unbuttoning her coat and Jane blushed.

"I think the chick said it was new. I don't really remember." Maura was gently stripping off her sweater and camisole. "I told her it had to be purple and I didn't want to go bankrupt buying it. This is what she gave me." Maura unzipped the dress and slipped it over her head, then pulled her jeans off.

"Why purple?" Jane shuffled, embarrassed.

"'Causetheshoesarepurple." Maura tilted her head as she folded the jeans neatly.

"One more time?" Jane sighed.

"'Cause the shoes are purple." Jane reached in the box and pulled out a pair of Maura's shoes.

"When did you steal these?," the M.A. asked, laughing.

"The weekend after the Sarrison case." Maura unzipped a boot and traded it for the peep toes with the six inch heels.

"Why these?" Jane blushed again, and now she had nothing left to fidget with.

"Can I plead the fifth?" Maura stood straight once both heels had been secured, and walked over to the small bathroom mirror, smoothing the dress over her stomach and thighs. The dress fell perfectly, its purple silken halter top hugging the curve of her neck, and draping over two delicate collarbones to hug her breasts. Black lace wrapped from the edges of the silk encasing her chest, around her shoulder blades, and down her back in a corset-style gap along her spine. More purple silk wrapped around her abdomen in loose pleats, giving her abs a smooth definition, and the silk skirt draped over her hips and ass to fall against the tops of her knees. Against the right thigh, a black lace butterfly had been embroidered into the silk so that it fluttered as she moved. Jane had known the dress would look good on Maura, as all clothing seemed to, but now? Now was, "Wow."

"Why would you need to?," Maura asked, intent on following her line of questioning. "And, thank you." The blonde returned to Jane, standing in front of her and resting her hands on the detective's biceps.

"You're welcome," Jane responded automatically, her hands falling to wide hips. Their lips met hungrily and Jane clutched at Maura's waist to remain grounded.

"So, why these? I know they were not in the front of my closet." Jane sighed.

"I just… I remembered them. That's all. And I _know_ you like the dude that makes these because there were about 35 identical boxes in that closet." Maura grinned.

"So, these are your favorite?," she teased. Jane groaned.

"No, not my favorite. They're shoes. I don't have favorites."

"Well, you like them for a reason! What is it?" Although she was still grinning, Maura's voice was tinged with seriousness. They were heading, she hoped, into a more intimate relationship, and it seemed appropriate to begin studying Jane's appreciation for her clothing.

Jane sighed.

"I can't believe I'm admitting this." Maura smiled gently. "Sometimes, I… I kinda like it when you're tall. Taller than me." Leaning against the changing table in the thick, practical boots she had worn that morning, Jane was indeed shorter than Maura by about an inch and a half. The blonde had never noticed that five and six inch heels raised her above Jane's height, but then again, she hadn't had too many opportunities to stand flush against her best friend while wearing heels.

"That's logical," she replied, making Jane arch an eyebrow at her.

"Logical? Butch, badass Jane Rizzoli confesses that she likes being short sometimes and your only reaction is that it's logical?"

"Cyborg, remember?" The joke was effective, and Maura felt Jane's hold loosen on her hips. "Besides, you aren't butch, you're sporty." The brunette snorted.

"Tell that to the rest of the precinct." Maura tilted her head to the side and considered the woman before her.

"You want to get into this now, Jane? I recognize that your chosen profession has not been kind to a woman gaining the ranks you have achieved, but I would have thought that the opinions of crass men like Detective Crowe would mean little to you." Looking away from Maura, Jane chuckled humorlessly.

"You're right. I'm not even sure you're gonna let me date you and I'm already bitching about work." Jane sighed, then forced herself to look her best friend in the eye. "I'm sorry. I really like those heels and although I appreciate my height when I'm tackling a criminal, I find it sexy when you're taller than I am." Maura rewarded the detective with another bruising kiss, slipping her fingers into thick, chocolate hair.

"Why don't you ask me?," Maura breathed between deep kisses. Jane grinned.

"Maura, I have spent the last three years falling for you." A short kiss, her tongue sweeping through Maura's mouth. "Teasing you, buying you coffee, fantasizing about your heels, and coming to you when nightmares get the best of me." Jane ignored the glistening of tears in Maura's eyes and kissed her again. "Will you go out with me?"

"God, yes." As the women fell into another kiss, a sharp knock on the door shook them out of their reverie. Jane looked at her watch.

"Perfect timing. We've got thirty minutes before our reservation and I still need to change." Jane stood up straight and turned to pull a pair of slacks and a suit jacket from the box. "Hold on!," she called out. Maura giggled.

"I've never kissed anyone in a public restroom before," the M.E. explained as she checked her make-up in the mirror. Jane grinned, pulling on the slacks.

"Of course not." In just a few minutes, Jane had changed out of her street clothes and into the hottest suit Maura had ever laid eyes on. The slacks were freshly pressed, the crease in the front falling evenly down the center of her thighs, and her usual white Oxford button-up was crisp, as well. The jacket she'd thrown over the basic pant and shirt combo, however, was brand new and made the blonde's heart race. It was black, but extra long, tailored to curve into Jane's waist, then out over feminine hips and down to where the jacket ended at the tops of her thighs. As they left the bathroom, refusing to look guiltily at the annoyed mother on the other side, Maura was treated to the perfect shape of Jane's back, beginning with a strong set of trapezius and rhomboid muscles before arching concavely into a trim waist and over an excellently proportioned gluteus maximus. Maura licked her lips unconsciously.

. . .

Jane found it utterly adorable that Maura had fallen asleep again. The blonde sat absolutely primly in the passenger seat of the car, her upper body turned slightly in Jane's direction, but her legs crossed at the ankles and her hands folded into her lap. Dinner had been wonderful and Maura had looked… happy.

It was a relief for Jane. She hadn't screwed up Maura's birthday, and the blonde had looked delighted to eat a tiny, gourmet meal at One If By Land, Two If By Sea with her. They had laughed about Jane's choice of ironic restaurants for them to visit in New York, and talked about a hundred things none of which Jane could remember as she parked the car in Maura's driveway.

Reaching over to her girlfriend—Jane felt like a giddy teenager when she mentally realized she was allowed to call her that now—the brunette ran her fingers through the hair that had fallen in front of her face. Brushing a wind-pinked cheek softly, Jane called Maura's name. The blonde blinked slowly.

"Did I fall asleep again?" She rubbed her eyes slowly and yawned.

"Mmhmm. I'm going to get a complex." Maura grinned.

"Oh, yes, because I usually date people who are boring."

"Well, now, that doesn't exactly comfort me." Jane teased.

"I was being sarcastic! I've been practicing." Jane laughed out loud, now, then opened her car door, moving quickly to the passenger side.

"I know," Jane responded as she opened Maura's door and reached down a hand to help the woman in the six inch heels climb out.

"Thank you," Maura stated demurely when she was standing in front of Jane.

"You're welcome." The brunette followed Maura to her front door, but stopped on the stoop when she unlocked it.

"Do you want to come in?" Jane shook her head, then stepped closer to Maura.

"I'll be by tomorrow afternoon, remember?" Maura glanced down and nodded.

"Bagels and coupons, right." Jane raised her hand to Maura's cheek, letting the pads of her fingers trace a defined cheekbone, jaw line, and neck.

"Thank you for letting me teach you to skate," she breathed quietly, delighting in the way Maura's eyelids fluttered closed.

"No, thank you. This has been my favorite birthday so far." Maura let her hands wind their way under the suit jacket, warming instantly against the heat of Jane's skin through her thin button-up. Then, Jane reached up and kissed Maura slowly, letting their lips move over one another gently as If she wanted to memorize the taste from this one kiss. As they ran out of air, Jane pressed smaller kisses to Maura's lips, ending with several soft, breathy kisses which left the blonde wanting more even as they made her heart flutter.

"I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful," Jane murmured softly before pressing a kiss to one cheek and leaving Maura's doorway.


	5. Is this okay?

**Ask Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!**

**Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated T for language use only.**

"So, when Angela asked you if I would be attending mass in December, what exactly did that mean?" Maura attempted to keep her voice free of inflection, but Jane pulled her in closer to her side regardless.

"That's Ma's way of asking me if I'm doing this right."

After three hours on the couch with bagels and mimosas, watching the Red Sox shut the Phillies out in a 3-0 win, Jane had suggested they head to her parents' house early for Sunday dinner. Understanding that Jane perhaps wanted time for her parents to react to their relationship, Maura hurried to change into a more appropriate outfit, though Jane protested that Maura's jeans and Red Sox jersey would give her courage at dinner. The warm chocolate of Jane's eyes as they raked over her body as she attempted to convince Maura not to change had quickened the blonde's pulse, but years of decorum and propriety won out and she'd slipped into a simple wool dress, three-quarter sleeve sweater, and knee-high boots.

"Doing this right?" Maura looked questioningly up at Jane, her left arm wrapped around the brunette's waist as they walked towards the local bakery. The taller woman nodded.

"Obviously, our being together wasn't as much of a surprise to my parents as I'd figured it would be." Maura grinned. Understatement of the year. When they'd entered the low ranch which had come to feel more like home to Maura than her parents' homes ever had, Jane holding tightly to her hand, Angela had taken one look at them, thrown her hands up in the air in exasperation, and shouted, "Frank! Jane figured it out! You owe me breakfast." Her exclamation was met with a muffled curse from the living room, and a hollered, "Took her long enough. Tell her she owes you breakfast." Jane had blushed intensely, and Maura had giggled, reaching up to brush a kiss on her girlfriend's inflamed cheek.

"I would estimate that much of the precinct will have a similar reaction," Maura responded, making Jane chuckle.

"True. I always think I'm adorable and mysterious, but really I'm just a walking stereotype." Jane turned her head and pressed a kiss to the side of Maura's head, squeezing her shoulders affectionately.

"Stereotypes are often misleading, Jane. I would disagree that you fit any particular societal expectations perfectly. I would, however, agree that you are currently avoiding my question."

"Touché." Jane grinned, then directed them into the cinnamon heat of the bakery. "Remember when I told you that my mother loves you?"

"Mmhmm," Maura responded, scanning the menu for their latte choices. Jane and she stepped up to the counter and ordered coffees and cannoli, then settled into a small booth.

"Well, I wasn't just saying that because you're awesome. I'm serious. My mother thinks you're the best thing since Carla Talucci's daughter dropped out of college the same month I graduated from the Academy. She adores you." The grin which lit Maura's face at her words made Jane's heart break once more. How a woman as amazing as her girlfriend had experienced all of the abandonment and rejection as she had still made Jane's gut twist in pain, and she instinctively reached for Maura's hand across the table.

"Your mother is wonderful, Jane, regardless of how much you hate when she nags you." Jane laughed.

"Just wait until she starts asking us about whether we prefer cloth diapers over Huggies. Then we can talk again." Maura blushed and ducked her head.

"Okay, okay. I will refrain from reprimanding you about teasing your mother." The barista called Jane's name and the lanky woman unfolded herself from the booth to retrieve their food.

"Ma asked me if you're coming to Christmas Eve mass because she wants to make sure I don't hurt you." Maura had taken a sip of her latte, but now she set the cup on the table.

"Why would she think that?" The consternation on the blonde's face made Jane smile, although she understood her girlfriend's confusion.

"Well, look at my dating track record, Maur. I haven't been in a serious relationship since I joined the force. My mother loves you and even though I'm her kid, she still wants to make sure I'm not gonna freeze and run out on you."

"I would say that would be a highly unlikely scenario." Biting off some cannoli, Maura looked thoughtful for a moment. "Your mother does not fully comprehend the meaning of your chosen profession. She often assumes that you willingly choose a case over time with your family without examining the repercussions of your choices for other families. The same is likely true for her opinions of your past relationships." Jane grinned.

"And this is why you're amazing. Can you explain that to her?" Maura shook her head, but reached up and tucked an errant strand of brown hair behind Jane's ear, brushing her fingertips over a high cheekbone.

"So, am I attending Christmas Eve mass?"

"Yes, Maura, I would love it if you would come with me. It's… It's special. You don't have to come, at all, and we're probably gonna have to keep the P.D.A. to a minimum, but I would love to have you there."

"Then I would love to be there. Thank you for inviting me." Jane's smile in response to Maura's easy acceptance was full bodied and the blonde woman savored it as she would an excellent wine. Jane Rizzoli had many smiles, and although the medical examiner estimated it would take many years of study to identify each one, she recognized a few almost immediately. This particular smile spoke volumes in affection and gratitude, and Maura blinked quickly to avoid tears which might embarrass Jane.

"Did you bring the coupons?" Jane asked gently, unsure of whether she should save the question for home.

"Actually, I did," Maura responded, looking significantly more sure of herself than she had the evening prior. "I spent a large portion of my morning tidying my home and I believe that I have come up with something that fits the magnitude of your gift." Jane arched an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

"I have no idea what you mean by that but okay, let's hear it." Maura opened her clutch and retrieved the two folded pieces of paper. Jane pulled them to her side of the table and opened the first one.

"Happy Birthday, Maura! I hope you like Disney movies?" Jane's voice curled up into a question as she reached Maura's neat hand writing. "You want Disney movies?"

"Yes," the blonde responded, wrapping her hands around her latte. "At first, I felt… I believe I felt anxious about this gift because you have given me too much already. I didn't want—no, I _don't_ want material things from you. It would feel wrong. Out of place." Maura shook her head, feeling frustrated about her inability to articulate what she was thinking.

"I don't understand," Jane commented quietly. "I want to give you things. I mean, I get that Jimmy Choos and the latest fashions are a bit out of my league, but I'd like to think I can give you the things that make you happy, Maur."

"That's what I mean!" Maura sighed heavily. "Could we maybe walk back to your mother's the long way? I am having difficulty expressing myself." Jane nodded and rose to put their cups in the garbage before holding the door open out of instinct. When both women were back out on the sidewalk, Maura slipped her hand into Jane's. "Is this okay," she asked timidly.

"More than okay," Jane smiled in response, leaning in for a short kiss. After a few seconds, Maura tried to explain her thought process once more.

"All my life I have been taught to accept the material over the visceral. When I was seven, my parents sat me down and told me that I had been adopted. They explained that they loved me because they chose me for their daughter, and I should never feel insecure in their family because I had a trust fund and my own room, and they had even bought me the tortoise I asked for."

"Maura, I'm sorry," Jane started, but Maura shook her head, looking up at Jane.

"No, I'm not rehashing my past, Jane, I'm just trying to explain. What you did for me yesterday—teaching me how to skate and showing me places that are a part of your family's traditions—I will never forget that. This has been the best birthday of my life because you gave me something more than a physical gift. That's why it felt wrong to ask you for something two-dimensional. Something fake, like shoes or the opera, or whatever else might have been enough if someone less important to me were the giver."

"I think I get it," Jane said slowly, knowing that they were nearing her childhood home and automatically slowing their pace. "When I was trying to decide what to get you for your birthday, it crossed my mind to buy that coat you feel in love with when we had the body at DSW a week ago."

"How did you know about that?" she asked wonderingly, making Jane chuckle.

"I know you pretty well, babe. I can tell when you get that glazed look in your eye over fashion." Maura blushed again and looked back down at the ground.

"You see, and then you go and say something like that and I think—no, I _know_. I know that you mean more to me than coats and shoes and tickets to the opera."

"You really want to drag me to the opera, don't you?" Jane joked as they paused on the sidewalk outside the low ranch Jane had once called home. Maura laughed and nudged Jane with her shoulder.

"Of course, that's the _whole _point of this conversation," she responded dryly.

"And sarcasm!" Jane pulled them to a stop and Maura turned to face Jane, her hands settling on the taller woman's forearms.

"I have been practicing." Maura smiled sweetly up at Jane, her dimples out in full force.

"So, what's with the Disney movies, then?"

"Well, I've never seen any of them." Jane's jaw dropped, then snapped up.

"I feel like that shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did," she responded. Maura shrugged.

"That's what I want for my birthday. Take me to a store so we can buy all of the Disney movies you think I should see, and then we can watch some tomorrow. And, maybe, during the week, too?" Maura's voice was unsure, but she kept her gaze locked with Jane, knowing instinctively that the brunette would understand how important her request was and react seriously as well.

"Okay, babe. We'll head out to F.Y.E. as soon as we leave here. They should have several, and the others we can rent until they re-release them." Maura grinned again and bounced on the balls of her feet, reaching up to plant a kiss on Jane's chilled lips.

"You're wonderful," the blonde sighed, burying her face in Jane's scarf, feeling unnecessarily happy. She felt more than she heard as Jane chuckled, then pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

"You, too."

**A/N What do we think? One more chapter? I am loving this story, but I have another short piece in the works, mentally, so I can't wait to see this one close and get to that one. What do you think of Maura's request? I can only imagine all the possibilities for their movie watching experience…**


	6. It's a Good Sound

**Ask Me**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rizzoli and Isles, including the book and the TNT show; Jane Rizzoli belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Angie Harmon, and Maura Isles belongs to Tess Gerritsen and Sasha Alexander. The plot for this story is my own, but that is all I could or would stake claim to. Leave feedback if you wish; these girls are delectable, and my muse would appreciate your affirmation!**

**Synopsis: "It's just that I didn't ask for much. I don't think I really knew how." In the face of Maura's childhood, can Jane teach herself to give what the doctor can't ask for? Post-ep for 1 x 08, with lines from 1 x 06. Mostly fluff with a little bit of sugar on the side. Rated T for language use only.**

"Okay, you _know_ it's cold when your teeth start chattering between your driveway and your front door," Jane commented as she and Maura almost tumbled into her apartment. As the evening had worn on, the temperature had dropped steadily, slicking the parking lots and intersections into frustrating rinks of ice. The couple had begged out of Sunday desert in favor of running to the store for "groceries," as Jane had explained it, then rocketed through an F.Y.E., Best Buy, and Wal-mart before heading back to Jane's place.

"Your muscles are contracting and extending to create heat through physical energy," Maura responded dryly, unzipping her boots on the small mat inside the door. Jane lifted her coat from her hands without even thinking about it, hanging it on the hook beside the door just after she'd tossed her own over the small side table.

"Is that Grey's Anatomy I hear?" Jane questioned, over exaggerating her actions as she pretended to look questioningly at her TV. "Oh, wait, no. It was the Google speak again." Maura shot her a pretend glare, but her mouth quirked involuntarily into a smile.

"The term Google was recently added to the dictionary as a verb, as well as the proper noun indicating the search engine and affiliate corporation. I was not aware it had also been added as an adjective." Jane grinned.

"Your teasing is getting better, Maur." Flopping on the couch, Jane reached down to tug off her ubiquitous black boots before they created huge wet spots in her carpet. "C'mon, sit down so we can figure out which one to watch first." Maura hesitated by the couch, and Jane glanced up to find her biting her lip.

"I was thinking perhaps I could…" The blonde gestured down at her dress before looking back up at her girlfriend. "Could I maybe borrow a pair of yoga pants?"

"Always," Jane replied, her face softening. "I think you have a couple of pairs in the bottom drawer, but if not, you know where mine are." Maura grinned back at the brunette and moved towards Jane's bedroom. Once there she paused, contemplating her choices. She knew there was a single pair of her own pants buried under several tank tops and a dress in the bottom drawer of Jane's dresser, casually dubbed "the fancy drawer" by Jane herself, months ago. She also knew that her favorite—she would never admit this to Jane—pair of the taller woman's running sweats were lying in the second drawer. Making a snap decision, Maura stripped off her woolen dress and swiped Jane's pants from their resting place, tugging a Boston P.D. sweatshirt over her head. Taking a minute to check on her hair in the bathroom mirror, Maura sighed deeply and moved back out into the living area, heading for the kitchen.

"In response to your other comment, Jane," Maura commented as she passed the couch, running her hand softly up Jane's arm simply because she _could_, "I do not have a preference for which movie we watch first. According to my research, the first Disney film was _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_, however we could not find that one to purchase so it is probably not logical to watch them chronologically." Jane chuckled. Of course, Maura had done her research.

"I don't think chronologically would work either, babe. The first few are not the best." Maura had moved into the kitchen intent on preparing drinks and pop corn but the sight of Jane's handwriting adorning the fridge made her pause.

Fact #1: I want Maura Isles.

Fact #2: I'd like to smack the shit out of her parents, then I'd like to hug her and never let go.

Fact #3: Merch waitress.

Fact #4: Maura can't lie.

For a few seconds, Maura's brain processed several things simultaneously: first, that Jane had used permanent marker on an expensive appliance which would severely impact her ability to get her security deposit back should she ever choose to leave the apartment; second, that Jane had actually written out a list of facts while making a decision; and third, that there was a curious sensation of amusement, affection, and inherent… warmth spreading throughout her body as a result of Jane's scrawled words.

"Maur, what do you think?" Jane's voice registered between her thoughts as the brunette entered the kitchen, wondering why the M.E. had stopped taking to her.

"Excuse me? Oh, I'm sorry Jane, I didn't hear what you asked. I was… distracted." Jane glanced between Maura and the fridge, her face reddening into a blush.

"Wow, I, um… I totally forgot that was on there. I'm sorry, Maura." Jane reached up and tugged a hand through her wild curls.

"Don't be," came the immediate response. This time, it was Maura's turn to blush. "I mean, you might be sorry that the Sharpie will likely not ever come off of the surface of the door, but don't be sorry that I saw it." The blonde glanced up at Jane and their eyes met, Maura trying desperately to convey the feeling she could not articulate to her girlfriend. Jane's posture softened, and she smiled gently before reaching for Maura's waist.

"I get it," she whispered softly before kissing her, long fingers slipping under the sweatshirt to splay over the soft skin of Maura's lower back. They kissed, languid and swaying gently, for several minutes, Maura's hands returning to Jane's hair which was softer than she'd ever expected it to be and grounded her when she felt as if she might dissolve into a pile of emotions. As they broke apart, Jane laid her lips against Maura's temple for a few moments, closing her eyes and breathing in the feeling of her best friend held tightly against her, the warmth of the tiny body in her arms something she never wanted to forget.

"Can I add something?" Maura asked suddenly, feeling oddly impulsive.

"Um, yeah, sure." Jane handed the Sharpie to Maura and turned to retrieve a bag of popcorn from the cabinet, popping it into the microwave. When she turned around, Maura's elegant handwriting glistened at the bottom of her list.

Fact #5: Maura loves me.

Jane blinked. She knew she loved Maura. Knew the love she felt for the blonde was as familiar to her as the feeling of a gun in her hand or the keys of a piano beneath her finger tips. She had just never expected her best friend to say it that quickly. The sound of the kernels of corn beginning to pop behind her shook Jane out of her daze and she glanced up at Maura.

"I love you, too." There were not grand expressions of love. They didn't need them. Maura grinned fiercely, and Jane returned the smile. Then, the popcorn finished and the shrill call of the microwave broke their gaze. Jane grabbed a bowl for the finished snack while Maura pulled a beer and an open bottle of wine from the fridge.

"So, which one are we going to watch first," the blonde asked as she poured a glass of wine.

"Tonight, we'll start with _Lion King_, then move to either _Aladdin_ or _Beauty and the Beast_. Tomorrow, we can go more obscure." Maura chuckled.

"What is considered obscurity in the world of Disney movies?" The pair settled into Jane's couch, bowl of popcorn between them.

"Excellent question, grasshopper. I would say absolute obscurity might include _Melody Time_ and _Treasure Island_, but we're going to ignore those. I meant more of _The Sword in the Stone_ and _Robin Hood_." Maura eyed the tall stack of VHSs and DVDs sitting beside the entertainment center.

"And the others?" Jane grinned, lifting the remote to start the DVD for _The Lion King_. Picking up the popcorn and gesturing for Maura to scoot closer to her, Jane paused for a moment as the classic Disney intro rang across the screen in a sparkle of blue glitter.

"You hear that, Maura? That's the sound of childhood." The blonde looked up at the screen, and a small smile drifted across her lips.

"Play it again."

"Just the intro?" The blonde nodded and Jane hit the skip back button. They both fell silent for a moment as the Magic Kingdom castle rolled into view, and Tinkerbell dragged the half circle of magic across the sky.

"It's a good sound," Maura murmured, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Yep," Jane responded, pulling the other woman even closer into her side and digging into the popcorn.

The End.

**A/N I almost wrote a scene for their actual watching of the movie, but that wasn't really the point of this story, was it? If you guys are interested, I might write one or two one shots involving Google-mouthed Maura and Disney movies, but only if you want 'em. This has been a fabulous ride. Thank you all for making this the first non-one-shot fan fiction I've ever actually completed. Stay tuned for my next story—Silent Night, the story of the one thing Jane couldn't let Hoyt steal from her and how Maura helped her get it back.**


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